Dream Snatcher
by MsBlackOut
Summary: Marinette is beside herself when she discovers Adrien is going on a date and it's not with her. But when a new akuma victim surfaces Cat Noir is finally granted his dream of having his love reciprocated by Ladybug. The question is, will it last?
1. Chapter 1

A fine mist of perspiration dotted Ladybug's forehead as she smiled awkwardly for the cameras. Beside her stood Cat Noir seeming at ease as weather girl Mireille continued, "So enjoy a sunny Saturday in Paris."

"A great day to take your lady on a picnic," Cat Noir winked at Ladybug.

"Or to take your dog for a walk," she shot back.

Mireille beamed at them. "Once again, thank you Ladybug and Cat Noir for joining me for this morning's weather."

"It's been a pleasure," Cat Noir replied.

"And cut," said the director.

Ladybug's shoulders drooped and she let out a breath, "I'm glad that's over."

Cat Noir smiled at her, "Not a fan of showbiz, my lady?"

She pointed upward, "I feel like I'm being cooked under those lights."

"Like a bug under the microscope," he said with a cheeky grin.

She rolled her eyes, "Not funny."

Mireille passed them both bottles of water, "I can't believe how awesome today is turning out to be."

"What do you mean?" Ladybug said as she opened her bottle.

"Today is my birthday and two of my dreams are coming true. The first was sharing a spot on the weather with you guys. The second my friend Theo has organised, a date with Adrien Agreste." She sighed.

Ladybug choked on her water, "W-what?"

"I'm a huge fan of Adrien's. Theo used some of his connections in the art world to line up a dinner date for us tonight. Just me and Adrien, can you believe it."

Ladybug's mouth opened and closed a few times before she clamped her jaw. Her mind was busy running through a number of scenarios that had her heart racing in panic.

"Sounds like Theo is a great friend," Cat Noir said with a pat on Mireille's shoulder.

"Oh, he's the best I'm so lucky. Who knows I might even win over Adrien tonight."

Ladybug gasped and Cat Noir turned to face her. "Everything okay or is my bug-a-boo a fan of Adrien's too?"

She blinked and put a hand to her chest, "Me, a fan of Adrien's? Yes, no, I mean he's…"

Cat Noir's brows lifted as he prompted, "He's what exactly?"

"He's really great, I mean a great guy."

He nodded, "I can't disagree with you there. But if you're looking for a date I'm free for lunch."

She rolled her eyes at his broad grin, "Thanks, but no thanks. And I'm not your bug-a-boo."

His cheeky expression faded as he turned to Mireille. "Well we better be off. I hope you have a fantastic birthday."

"Yes, happy birthday," added Ladybug.

"Thanks," Mireille said, "today's outcome is looking fabulous."

* * *

Ladybug dropped into her room and transformed. "I can't believe it, Tikki. He's going on date tonight, Adrien and Mireille. What if he falls for her? I can't let that happen."

"Marinette, you can't control who Adrien sees or how he feels. You can only do your best to show him how you feel."

She sighed and sank into her desk chair, "I know Tikki but Mireille is so sweet and pretty. She's so easy to like and I'm not even on his radar."

"He's your friend and he's getting to know you. A date with Mireille may be nothing more than a single dinner out."

"But what if it becomes two dates or more. What if she becomes his girlfriend!"

Alya's voice sounded from downstairs, "Marinette." Tikki took refuge in Marinette's handbag. The door flung open and her best friend's head popped up. "Did you see Ladybug and Cat Noir on the TV this morning? It's already on my blog. I was hoping to catch them before they left the studio but I had to finish my homework."

"Um yeah, I caught some of it."

"I thought it so cute when Cat Noir suggested a picnic with Ladybug."

Marinette cringed, "Wasn't it a generalisation?"

"I don't think so Cat Noir seems completely wrapped up in her."

"He's a flirt, Alya."

Alya waved her finger, "Only with Ladybug."

"He flirted with me during the Evillustrator saga."

"He was probably trying to put you at ease."

Marinette shook her head, "I doubt it."

"Jealous?"

"Hardly, you know my heart belongs to Adrien. Speaking of which I heard he's going on a date tonight."

"What, no way. Details girl, tell me."

Marinette relayed what she knew, making sure to leave out the finer points of how and where she'd garnered the information.

Alya drummed her fingers against her chin. "Well you could go and see Adrien."

"What? How would I even justify that? Hi Adrien, I hear you're going on a date. Please don't go."

Alya chuckled, "Not exactly. I was thinking you could use that whole drama around his father's latest line as an excuse." Marinette blinked in confusion. "Honestly girl, did you not see the news? There's a fiasco about real fur being used apparently, it's a load of rubbish but it didn't stop the protesters. Just go over there and say you wanted to check he was okay."

"That's a possibility." Marinette glanced at her handbag, "Hmm, Alya I think you're onto something."

* * *

Adrien adjusted his jacket as he viewed his reflection. He gave a weak smile, wishing he were getting ready for a date with Ladybug rather than Mireille. Plagg floated at his shoulder looking on as he clutched his latest piece of camembert. "Going to another photoshoot?"

"No, I've got a date tonight."

"Ooh did you finally convince Ladybug?"

Adrien closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I didn't think so."

He looked up sharply, "It's only a matter of time."

"If you say so," Plagg said as he took a massive bite of his cheese.

Adrien started to respond when he heard a tap on the window. Glancing up he saw Ladybug hanging from her yoyo string, smiling and waving at him. Plagg made himself scarce as Adrien opened the window. "Ladybug, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

She smiled, "I heard there was some controversy around your father's latest launch so I thought I'd come by and check everything was okay."

"Um yeah, nothing his security can't handle. But please come in."

Ladybug landed gracefully on the floor and retracted her yoyo. Her gaze darted around his room. "You've got quite a collection of books."

He tore his attention away from her to glance at the expansive bookcase high above, "I was home schooled for a long time, so I ended up with a lot of books."

She nodded, "Do you like going to school?"

"Yeah, it's far better than being stuck at home without friends."

She stepped towards him, "So you were lonely?"

He shifted closer to her, "Yes, very much so."

"But you're not now?"

He looked into her eyes for a long moment, "I feel like the empty space in my heart has been filled."

The buzz of his phone stole his attention, "I've got a da- an appointment I've to go to."

"Oh okay."

He rubbed his neck, "I can stretch it a few more minutes. I'd like you to stay, if you don't have to go straight away."

"I can stay for a little while." She said as she sat down on the end of his bed.

His heart shifted gears and he felt heat touch his cheeks. She was on his bed. Nothing would make him leave his room now without a fight. He cautiously sat beside her, fearing she'd move away the instant he was near. As Cat Noir, he'd grown used to her pushing him away whenever he was too close. She only adjusted her position to face him and his gaze dropped to her lips. He swallowed as she leaned towards him.

A knock at the door startled them both. Nathalie's voice called, "Adrien the car is waiting, you're going to be late."

Adrien let out a frustrated breath, a muscle in his cheek twitched, she'd moved off the bed and his fingers dug into the quilt. "I'll just be a minute."

"Looks like it's time to go," she said in a voice that was a little unsteady.

He stood and walked to her, "Yeah I'm sorry. Another time?"

She gave him a warm smile, "Of course." Then she was out the window and into the night. He frowned, "Goodnight my lady."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I wanted to make this story to feel like an actual episode of the show. There are another three chapters on the way :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Mireille twisted the napkin back and forth as she waited. Periodically her foot would tap with a life of its own as she continually turned to peer at the restaurant door. "Where is he?" she muttered to herself. She opened her bag and checked her phone for messages. Still nothing.

She sipped her water and took a nervous bite out of a breadstick. "Come on Adrien." She picked up the menu and tried to focus on the words but they seemed to blur together the harder she looked.

All the other tables were filled with couples or groups, she was the only one sitting alone waiting for her date. She reached for her phone and dialled Theo then grunted as she got his voicemail.

Her eyes began to fill with unshed tears that she desperately blinked back. Maybe he'd been stuck in traffic, twenty-five minutes was reasonable. Maybe he'd been swamped by fans wanting autographs on his way over.

"Sorry I'm late."

She looked up and melted. There he was. Beautiful, amazing, gorgeous Adrien. "You made it."

"Yeah, I got delayed on my way over," he said as he picked up the menu. "So, what do you want to order?"

* * *

Marinette paced her bedroom, Tikki had just finished giving her a stern lecture and she knew the kwami was right. She shouldn't have interfered. But she couldn't fully regret it. Time alone with Adrien was always wonderful and she found herself smiling as she thought of the way he'd looked at her just before he left.

* * *

Adrien's hand cradled his face as he sat lost in thought. He was sharply brought back to reality as he realised Mireille had asked him a question.

"Did you enjoy dessert?" she repeated with frustration.

"Um yes it was delicious." In all honesty, he couldn't even remember what he'd eaten. His mind had been preoccupied with his lady.

"I think I'm ready to go home now," Mireille said flatly.

He looked up and realised he'd been pretty lousy company. He made sure he paid and drove her home. He walked her to her door, "I hope you had a nice time."

Her lips pursed, "It was certainly something." She shut the door in his face before he could respond.

Adrien's shoulders dropped and he ran a hand through his hair. He really hadn't treated Mireille to the birthday dinner she deserved. He slipped into the car's back seat with a heavy sense of guilt hanging over him.

* * *

Mireille slumped against the door and began to sob. Her dream date had turned into a disaster. Adrien was nice to look at but that's all he'd been. She blabbered for the first hour and perhaps that's why his answers had started and remained minimal. When he'd settle in the chair opposite she'd thought he'd been staring at her with adoration but it became clear that the dopey look on his face was related to something on his mind rather than what was in front of him.

She trudged into her study and saw a gift sitting on her desk. Theo had dropped it off on his way to work and she hadn't had the time to open it. Smiling she opened the box to find a glass orb paperweight. Her smile vanished, "This has been the worst birthday ever," she cried to herself.

But her distress did not go unnoticed. Hawkmoth sensed her negative emotions and zeroed in on his next akuma victim. The dark butterfly's power seeped into the glass orb and Mireille heard his voice, "Dream Snatcher, I am Hawkmoth. I am giving you the power to bring justice to those who's dreams have been crushed. Seek vengeance on those who destroy dreams and grant the wishes of those you see fit. In return for this power, there's something you must do for me."

Mireille smirked, "Just name it."

* * *

Adrien dug his phone out of his pocket and stared at it. He knew what he should do but his opinion of Theo had been jaded after the Copycat incident. He tilted his head back but the roof lining of the car didn't have any answers. He dialled and waited.

Theo picked up on the second ring, "Adrien!"

"Yeah speaking, is everything alright?"

"Someone has broken into my studio. They're after me Adrien. I need help, now!"

Plagg poked his head out to see what was going on while Adrien directed his driver to change course to Theo's studio. He left the car and detoured down a dark side alley and transformed. Cat Noir launched onto the rooftops and landed quietly at his destination. Sneaking inside he spotted Theo cowering behind a wooden crate. A feminine figure had her back to Cat but her scent had the taint of corruption only Hawkmoth caused.

"It's your fault, I'm not letting you get away with this." She ranted.

"I don't understand." Theo said as he hunkered lower.

"You destroyed my dream and now I'll destroy you."

Cat Noir moved into action but he could only watch in horror as the girl lifted a glowing orb and a white beam of light hit Theo, his body was motionless, caught within a crystal encasement.

"What did you do to him?"

She turned and the light exposed her lavender tinted skin, pink hair and ethereal white dress. Her features were obscured by the dark mask that resembled Hawkmoth's emblem. Her eyes narrowed, "He shattered my dreams, now he has felt the wrath of Dream Snatcher."

"Dream Snatcher, shouldn't it be catcher?"

She scowled at him, "The only thing I wish to catch from you is your miraculous."

"Nothing new there."

She began shooting beams of white light at him and he deflected with his staff.

"Hold still," she screeched as she continued attacking. Then she unexpectedly stopped.

"Why have you stopped?" Hawkmoth growled.

"I've got an idea," Dream Snatcher replied. She turned her attention to Cat Noir. "What drives you kitty? What dreams are withheld from you?"

Cat Noir stopped spinning his staff and leant on it like a cane. "My dreams are my own."

"Perhaps," she said lifting the orb that began to glow. "I see your most desperate dream, Cat Noir."

"Unlikely," he countered but there was a quaver in his voice.

"Ah unrequited love." She smirked, "you dream of Ladybug returning your feelings."

"You leave her out of this!"

"But I can make your dream come true."

"That's a lie."

She tilted her head to study him, "Let's test that theory."

As if summoned, Ladybug dropped from the rafters but before her feet touched the ground the light of the orb surrounded her. With a scream Ladybug collapsed.

"No!" Cat Noir cried desperately as he reached for her. His staff twirled in a defensive shield as he caught her. He clung to her limp form as her head lolled to rest in the crook of his shoulder.

"Now is your chance to take Ladybug's miraculous," Hawkmoth urged.

Dream Snatcher shook her head, "If this plays out the way it should, I'll be able to get both with minimal effort."

"You better be right, Dream Snatcher."

She saluted Cat Noir, "Until next time."

The slam of a door signalled Dream Snatcher departure and only then did Cat Noir turn his full attention to Ladybug. He put his staff away and touched her face with his free hand, "My lady," he said gently.

Her eyelids twitched and opened. Her big blue eyes looked at him with confusion. "What happened?"

"Dream Snatcher blasted you. Are you okay?"

She shifted her weight onto her feet and he expected her to push him away but she didn't. She continued to cling to the arm holding her while her other hand lifted to stroke his hair. "I feel strange," she said as her eyes roved over his face.

He swallowed, "We should probably pursue her."

Ladybug's hand strayed to his face and a finger traced the line of his mask to his nose and then to his mouth. Her gaze stayed there for a long moment and Cat Noir felt his lips part in response. She blinked and shook her head, "Uh yeah we should. I-I…" she stepped away from him and looked at her yoyo in attempt to centre herself.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"She did something to me but I don't understand what."

He stood up straighter and his eyes widened. "Look at me Ladybug." Her gaze was smouldering and his heart thumped faster as she'd never looked at him that way before. For once he was the one who was going to have to push back to get the job done. "You'll be okay bug-a-boo, but we need to go." He held out a hand to her and intended to run.

She grasped his hand and pulled him to her. "I want to stay here kitty." Before he could reply her fingers laced through his hair and her lips were on his. Her mouth moved against his and his resistance disappeared. He'd wanted this for so long. His arms wrapped around her and he kissed her back with all his pent-up passion.

His lips strayed from her mouth, down her chin along her jaw and to the hollow below her ear. She gasped and he jumped in surprise as she grabbed his butt. He chuckled, "You certainly are my lovebug."

She gave him a dreamy look, "This feels so surreal."

The smile faded from his face, "It's a dream, my dream. She was right." He gave her a torn look filled with longing. "What you're feeling isn't real."

"It feels pretty real to me," she said sliding her hand down his bicep.

He let out a sigh, "I wish it was but we need to find Dream Snatcher."

Ladybug gave a nod of resignation, "You're right but it I'd much prefer alone time with you." She moved into action, tossing her yoyo and departing through the window.

"I feel like that all the time," he whispered to himself.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading chapter two, stay posted for more :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Dream Snatcher spotted shattered dreams everywhere: a guy stood up by his dream date, a girl missing the last bus to her dream concert and someone else missing out on their dream job. Dream Snatcher unleashed her powers correcting the wrongs and punishing those who stood in the way of said dreams. Her fury was continually fuelled as she made her way towards Agreste mansion.

* * *

The cool breeze was meant to clear Ladybug's mind but her thoughts continually wandered to Cat Noir. She knew he was behind her as they made their way across the rooftops. She was all too aware of his presence, hearing his movements and his faint grunts of exertion. She closed her eyes to try and block out the other thoughts that came as she landed heavily on a flat rooftop.

Her mind was scrabbling to work out why she felt such a sudden undeniable attraction to Cat Noir, he said something about this being his dream. Her eyes widened, did he really feel this strongly for her? He landed gracefully at her side, she glanced at him and her heart raced.

"Dream Snatcher isn't particularly stealthy," he said as he observed the trail of crystallised people on the street. Ladybug took a deep breath which drew his attention, "Are you alright, milady?"

Ladybug was finding it hard to think with his gaze upon her. She unconsciously stepped towards him and noticed that he mimicked her. She dragged her eyes away from him and to the street below, "Where is she going?"

"She was angry about having her dreams shattered. She's probably seeking out anyone she wants revenge on."

"But so many people? Do you think she's seeking someone specifically?"

"She took out Theo because she claimed he was responsible." He gasped, "It's Mireille, she said her dreams were coming true today because it's her birthday."

"But something must have gone wrong," her eyes widened, "That means she's going after Adrien."

Cat Noir rubbed his face with agitation. "Okay, I guess we're going to his place then." She looked at him with surprise as he wrapped an arm around her waist, preparing to vault away together.

She smiled at him, "You told me you were distracting once. You were right, I'm having trouble thinking of anything else."

"Let me do your trick then," he released her and pushed her back with a finger against her nose.

"Not fair," she said pouting with hands on her hips.

He shrugged and drew her back, "Just teasing, bug-a-boo. Let's go."

* * *

Dream Snatcher stood at the gates of Agreste mansion observing the crowd of protesters who were considering going home. Their motivation had diminished and she saw a chance to rekindle their fading dream. Her orb glowed restoring the people's enthusiasm and Dream Snatcher manipulated it with her power.

Their chants for justice grew loud and their bodies pushed forward shoving until the massive gates open. Dream Snatcher smirked as she moved into the mansion grounds. Security guards tried to deal with them but she froze those who got in her way.

"I'm coming for you Adrien," she sniggered as she entered the huge building with her minions trailing close behind.

* * *

A sense of foreboding touched Cat Noir as he saw the grand gates of his home ajar. Crystallised bodies glinted in the moonlight casting an eerie mood to the impressive building. "She's here alright."

"She'll have headed for Adrien's room."

He dropped to a crouch and studied the ground, "She wasn't alone."

"The protesters," Ladybug said as she turned over one of their pickets.

"They're not after Adrien, they're after his father. We should look for Gabriel first."

"No, we need to sort out the akuma, once that's done everything will return to normal."

Cat's lips pressed into a firm line, "You're right but I don't like this."

Ladybug took his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. "We do this all the time."

"Yeah but this time it's different," he said pushing a lock of hair away from her eyes.

Her gaze searched his face and she bit her lip, "I want to kiss you but I know now is not the time."

"Welcome to the life of Cat Noir," he smiled wryly.

* * *

 **Sorry for the delay in getting this posted, I wasn't happy with my original draft. Hope to get the next chapter up much sooner. Thanks for reading :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Cat Noir was the first to step into the house, the front doors were open just like the gates. The stark lighting made him squint as they stepped out of the night.

Ladybug whispered, "It's quiet."

"A little too quiet," he grinned.

She elbowed his arm as she rolled her eyes. "How about we head to Adrien's room."

"You wound me, milady."

"How about I kiss you better?"

He took hold of her shoulders, "I think my lips hurt the most."

"But I didn't elbow you there," she smirked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Must be referred pain, it might spread elsewhere."

She brushed her lips against his, "Better?"

"A little," his mouth captured hers as his arms pulled her close. As her body pressed against his he began to purr.

She pulled back and smile, "I knew I'd heard you purr before."

He dipped his head sheepishly looking through his fringe, "You don't find it weird?"

"It's cute, kitty."

His ears pricked up. "I hear something that way," he said pointing upstairs away from his own room.

She frowned as he shifted away, "I suppose Adrien could be anywhere in the house."

"Or he could be out."

"Seems unlikely after a date."

Cat Noir flushed, "Uh maybe he needed some fresh air."

She raised a brow, "How about we continue our search?"

"Sounds like a plan," he launched up the stairs with her racing alongside.

* * *

Dream Snatcher moved through the mansion with growing irritation. The place was ridiculously huge and her search was not going well. She had some control over the protesters but their true desire was to seek out Gabriel Agreste, not his son.

"Going somewhere, Dream Snatcher?" Cat Noir goaded from behind.

Dream Snatcher ground her teeth, "Here already? I thought you'd be preoccupied for a while. I guess your feelings are not so strong."

He flinched, "We're doing our job."

"Really?" she snapped as she shot freeze bolts at the two heroes.

Both leapt away from the blasts but Cat Noir was tripped by one of the protesters. As he corrected his balance he felt a chill at his hip and watched in horror as he was crystallised from toe to shoulder. Only his right hand was untouched and he soon realised why.

Dream Snatcher grabbed his wrist and grasped his ring as she turned to Ladybug, "It seems your love is a little stuck right now. I'll let him go once you give me your miraculous."

For once Ladybug was not her composed rational self. Cat Noir could see the panic on her face. Then something changed as she looked into his eyes, a steady calm fell into place as she turned her attention back to Dream Snatcher, "Release him first and I'll give you my miraculous."

Dream Snatcher's fingers locked around Cat Noir's ring. He instinctively made a fist and his claws grazed her. Ladybug took the opportunity to sling her yoyo around Dream Snatcher's ankle and with a hard yank Dream Snatcher toppled to the ground.

With her down Cat Noir activated his cataclysm and broke free of the crystal. Before either of them could reach Dream Snatcher the protesters surrounded her "Get them," she screeched as she scampered away.

Ladybug turned to the door some distance behind Cat Noir, "Mr Agreste shut the door and run!" The protester lost interest in them and smashed through the door in pursuit. Cat Noir was about to follow when Ladybug grabbed his tail. "He's not really there, it was just a distraction."

His shoulders relaxed, "You had me convinced. I thought you were really talking to Adrien's father."

She smirked, "I'm glad the trick worked. Looks like we've got a free run to Dream Snatcher now."

* * *

Dream Snatcher had finally found Adrien's room and a growl rumbled deep in her throat as she realised he wasn't there. She turned as she heard fast footfalls racing towards her. She snarled as Ladybug and Cat Noir blocked the only exit from Adrien's room.

* * *

Cat Noir's jaw was clenched as he stood beside Ladybug. His staff was in his hand as he eyed Dream Snatcher. He glanced at Ladybug and swallowed as he wondered if she'd remember any of this when it was over. He had little memory of the times he'd been under control of an akuma victim. But now was not the time to ponder, he returned his attention to the situation at hand.

"Don't you two ever give up." Dream Snatcher lifted the orb and began shooting freeze beams at the pair.

"What's with the icy reception?" Cat taunted as he swung his staff, extending it to knock Dream Snatcher off her feet.

Moving into the room, Ladybug took the opportunity to use her lucky charm. A red basketball with black dots landed in her hands.

"Now's not really time for a game," Cat smirked. Then ducked as Dream Snatcher shot another beam at him. He bounced about the room as Dream Snatcher continued to target him.

Ladybug glanced around and knew what to do, she threw the basketball at the hoop in Adrien's room, rebounding the ball off the backboard which launched it at Dream Snatcher's head. In response to the immediate threat Dream Snatcher instinctively raised her hands, opening them to deflect the ball. In doing so the orb tumbled from her grasp and rolled across the floor. Ladybug stomped on the orb releasing the akuma and activated her yoyo purifying the corrupted butterfly.

Cat Noir picked up the basketball and walked to her with mixed emotions flitting across his features, "I know this has to be done."

Taking hold of his bell Ladybug pulled him close "I love you," she said looking at him longingly before giving him a quick kiss. Then she threw the basketball into the air, "Miraculous ladybug!"

"I love you too," he said as he watched the swarm of ladybugs do their thing. He chewed his lip as they danced around her. As they dispersed he reached for her hand, "Ladybug?"

She stood very still only her eyes blinked as she adjusted to the situation. Then she studied him for a long moment.

"Where am I?" Mireille said as she stood. "Ladybug, Cat Noir how come you're here too?"

"It's a long story," Cat Noir replied as he continued to watch Ladybug.

She looked around, "We're in Adrien's room."

Mireille grinned, "Really? Where is he?"

Ladybug's head pivoted from side to side, "Why are we in Adrien's room?"

Cat Noir felt his chest constrict, "You don't remember?"

"Only bits and pieces. I'm trying to put them together," she said tapping her chin with a finger. Her other hand remained within his.

A familiar chirp stole his attention and he looked at his ring which had already lost three paw pads. He frowned, "I'm going to have to run."

Ladybug touched her earring, "Me too." She looked down at their interlaced fingers and up at his face.

"Before you go," Cat Noir reached out to stroke her face but hesitated. "I-I'm glad you're okay." With that he pulled his fingers from hers and dashed out the window with a heavy heart.

He swung into his bathroom window and transformed back into Adrien. Plagg went to speak but he raised a warning hand, instead the kwami flew into his hiding spot within Adrien's shirt. Letting out a deep sigh he opened the bathroom door and was surprised to see Ladybug still there staring out the window he'd departed from with her fingertips pressed to her lips.

His voice rasped as he spoke, "Is it okay to come out?"

She looked at him with lost eyes, "You were here the whole time?"

"Yeah," he said with a sad smile.

A pink tinge filled her cheeks. "Did you hear…" Her earrings chirped, "Must go, bye."

His lips quivered as she disappeared out the window. He snapped himself out of it and turned to Mireille who looked bewildered. "I'm sorry about dinner, Mireille. I wasn't very good company. I had a lot on my mind and I should have put that aside and focussed on your birthday."

She grinned, "Oh Adrien, I knew that wasn't the real you tonight."

The corner of his lip turned upward, "Let me buy you a cupcake."

"That'd be great."

* * *

Marinette sat on her bed hugging her pillow as she tried to piece together the fragments of memory. Tikki hovered nearby, "You were in love with Cat Noir."

Marinette dipped her head and ran her fingers through her loose hair, "I remember Tikki, not the finer details but I remember exactly how I felt and just how wonderful it was kissing him. I feel so confused. What I felt isn't totally gone. How do I fix this?"

"Does it need fixing?"

"I love Adrien, I can't fall in love with Cat Noir as well."

"Do you really love Adrien or is it just a crush?"

Marinette closed her eyes. The image of Cat Noir came to mind and of her finger caressing the lines of his mask. Green eyes so different to Adrien's yet oddly the same shade. "I don't know anymore, Tikki but I need to find out."

* * *

 **Once again thanks for reading and for the reviews. Pinksakua271, I do intend to add some MariChat but I'm working out where best to pop into the plot as I want it to happen somewhere other than Marinette's room. Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I'm off to plan the next chapter...**


	5. Chapter 5

_A month later…_

Adrien stood in the dark within his bedroom, staring at the open window. There was a constant pain in his chest that he didn't know how to deal with. As Cat Noir, he'd teamed up with Ladybug a number of times since Dream Snatcher, the akuma that made her love him. He thought things would have become easier, but instead he felt like his heart was bleeding. For the briefest time, Ladybug had reciprocated his feelings and it had been wonderful. He'd had a taste of what could exist between them and now he was addicted, yet Ladybug had reverted back to her usual self and he didn't know how to deal with it.

To numb the pain, he'd accepted more dates with Mireille, finding it nice having someone craving his company. An easy friendship had developed between the two, and while Adrien suspected she wanted more, he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to give it. A rumble echoed through the sky and the blonde narrowed his eyes. Very few clouds sat on the horizon, nor did it look like a storm was building.

"Sounds like another akuma." Plagg said as he absently gnawed on a wheel of cheese.

A deep sigh escaped Adrien as his brow knitted with pain. "I know I need to go but it's killing me, Plagg."

"Take it one day at a time, kid. You're tough, you'll survive."

"Yeah, survive. Right." Ignoring the burning ache in his chest, he called for his transformation.

The eagerness that usually came with his alter ego was lacking as Cat Noir leapt to the window. His feline ears quirked backward in an expression of distress. Taking a deep breath, he launched himself into the night.

* * *

Ladybug was not as immune as she pretended to be. Every nerve in her body seemed to be on edge, as she anticipated the arrival of her partner. In the meantime, she focused on the akuma. This time it was a middle-aged man who was thunderous about losing a major gambling bet, which resulted in his wife leaving him. Hawkmoth had deemed him, Dark Rage, and granted the power of telekinesis.

Dark Rage picked up a bus with his power and tossed it her way. The heroine dropped from her vantage point as the vehicle sailed over her head and smashed into a large billboard. She cringed as she noticed it crash through Adrien Agreste's latest perfume ad.

"That was rather _Agrestive_ ," Cat Noir said with a lacklustre smirk.

Ladybug gave him a wane smile in return, as she tried to ignore her inner turmoil. "At least his aim _stinks_."

"Are you trying to out pun me, milady?"

"I wouldn't dream of it." Both superheroes flinched at her choice of words.

Cat Noir changed the subject. "So, have you located his akuma?"

"Not yet, but the guy keeps grabbing at his silver chain belt each time he launches an attack."

"Sounds a likely candidate."

"Alright, let's flank him from either side and take a closer look."

With a nod from her partner, the pair moved into action. Ladybug darted around their angry foe and watched as he reached for the chain. At that moment, Cat Noir extended his staff, whacking the enemy's chin. "Hey over here, Dark Age."

"It's Dark Rage!" The akuma snapped as he tracked the black cat.

Taking the opportunity granted by her partner, Ladybug called up her lucky charm and stared at a polaroid camera. "Okay," she muttered to herself as she looked for clues to its purpose. When the penny dropped, she circled the akuma and began taking random photographs. Each time the flash temporarily blinded Dark Rage. "Cat Noir, use your cataclysm on his belt!"

Her partner answered by summoning his power. Dark Rage began to volley random items at her. Ladybug tossed the polaroid pictures at the akuma, interfering with his concentration on his telekinesis, while continuing to snap photos in between. Cat Noir raced in to destroy the belt, releasing the corrupted butterfly.

With a toss of her yoyo, Ladybug caught and purified the akuma. "Bye, bye little butterfly," she said in her usual way, then threw the camera into the air calling, "Miraculous Ladybug!" Her gaze found Cat Noir and remained on him as the magical ladybugs did their thing. Lifting her fist, she strolled to meet her partner. His eyes didn't meet hers as they said, "Pound it," in unison.

"Cat Noir, is everything okay?"

Panicked feline eyes met hers. "Um, y-yeah. I'm fine."

"You haven't seemed as cheerful lately. Well since-"

"Oh look, we're going to transform back. Better get going. See you next time, LB."

Ladybug blinked as Cat Noir fled. Something was wrong and she was pretty sure she knew what it was. Chewing on her lip, she turned to the akuma victim, knowing she needed to reassure him before she darted away too.

* * *

Cat Noir didn't seem to be the only one acting oddly of late. Marinette watched as Adrien shuffled into class the next morning, his eyes on the floor as he ducked into his seat. For a guy who had just started dating, he seemed awfully miserable. She'd been shattered at the news, allowing herself to focus on that, rather than her strange feelings towards Cat Noir. Alya had taken it upon herself to organise a number of girl's nights to bring her best friend back from the brink of heartbreak. If only she knew that Marinette was stuck in a quandary between her partner and her crush.

To make matters worse, Chloe was fuming over the new development in Adrien's love life. Each morning she made it her mission to grill him over his budding relationship with Mireille. Today was no different. The pampered girl slapped her manicured hands down on the model's desk, startling him into meeting her eyes. "Why are you with Mireille, when you could be with someone so much better?" Needing to emphasis who she was referring to, she flicked her ponytail.

Annoyance shone in Adrien's eyes as he looked at Chloe. "Would you give it a rest. Mireille is a nice girl and I like her."

"Is it because she's on TV? You know I could be on TV if I wanted to be. You've seen me with Daddy on the news, right?"

"Yes, Chloe. I have seen you on the news."

Chloe tapped her cheek with her index finger. "Come to think of it, the last time I was on TV was when I got to speak directly to Ladybug and Cat Noir." Adrien's shoulders shot back and his whole body was rigid. "That was when Nadja was determined to know if they were dating. Ha, as if Ladybug would want Cat Noir."

Even from her vantage point, Marinette could see Adrien's hands turn to white knuckled fists. Her own hands trembled at the wave of emotions brought up by Chloe's comment. Alya jumped in. "Wasn't that when you got gum on your jacket?" This resulted in Chloe going off on a tangent rant, finally forgetting about Adrien as she sulked to her seat.

Marinette leaned forward and tugged gently on the model's sleeve. "Adrien, you look a little pale. Are you okay?"

A haunted look flashed briefly in his eyes. "Um, y-yeah. I'm fine." Her fingers released their hold, it was the exact same thing Cat Noir had said to her.

* * *

 **Sorry for the long hiatus on this story, I'd originally planned to wrap it up in four chapters and suffered some writers block when I decided to continue on, not exactly knowing where to take the** **next section. I'm back on track with a plan now, so stay tuned. Thanks for reading and for the support :)**


	6. Chapter 6

Adrien could read the disbelief in Marinette's eyes. Unlike Chloe or Mireille, this good friend was more attuned to his moods. He felt a sense of loss as her hand dropped from his shirt, her nearness seeming to give him temporary relief from his emotional torment. It made him wonder if talking to her would alleviate some of his anguish. Nino was eyeing him with the same concern, perhaps he wasn't hiding his emotions as well as he thought he was.

Shifting in his seat to face the dark-haired girl, Adrien dropped his façade and whispered. "Actually, I'm not okay. Thanks for asking though."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I wouldn't say no to a couple of rounds of Ultimate Mecha Strike III."

Marinette crossed her arms smugly. "Ah, so you want pair up or be beaten to a pulp again?"

"I've learnt some new moves since we last played, you better watch yourself."

"Bring it Agreste, I'll enjoy taking you down."

This actually drew a laugh from him. "Anytime, anywhere. Just name it."

"I'm free this afternoon, if you're game."

"Oh, I'm game. I'll see you after fencing." He couldn't resist throwing her a wink. Marinette's face turned crimson and he chuckled as he returned to facing the board.

Alya sidled up to Marinette and whispered. "You seem a lot more confident with a certain someone."

"Yeah, I guess I realised he is just a guy." She didn't mention that her bravado came from trash talking like she would with Cat Noir. At least Adrien seemed to be responding to it better than her crime fighting partner had recently.

* * *

By late afternoon Marinette finished removing the pictures of Adrien from her walls, along with the photo frame on her desk. Tikki did a final sweep and gave a nod of approval. "I think it's all clear this time." The girl glanced at the cheeky picture of Cat Noir she'd recently added to her wall, before sagging into her desk chair.

Marinette bumped the computer mouse and let out an, "Eep! I forgot the background." She quickly replaced the offending item with the image of a Chinese garden. With that done she got out her homework to do while she waited. Soft footfalls on the stairs caught her ears just as she was finishing off her history essay. Turning, she watched as Adrien's golden mop appeared. "You're here," she smiled.

"Yeah, and I just beat my fencing opponent so look out."

She beamed at the mirth in his eyes. "Prepare to be taken down a peg, my mech is going to kick your butt."

"You talk the talk, now let's see you walk the walk." He dropped into the seat beside her and reached for something in his pocket. An amused expression passed over his face as he placed the charm she'd given him on the table. "I've got my lucky charm, how about you?"

Marinette raised an eyebrow as she dug out the charm he'd given her from her own pocket. "Hmm, it seems I do." She said as she laid it on the table, mimicking his display.

"Then I guess it'll be a fair fight. Let's do this."

For a good twenty minutes the pair duked it out and Marinette had to admit that Adrien had improved. He at least had a sporting chance at winning, not that he actually did. They were just about to start another round when Adrien's phone pinged. "Oh no, I forgot I have a date with Mireille. I'm sorry, Marinette. I need to go."

The dark-haired girl forced a smile and nodded. "No worries. Don't let me keep you."

"I'm really sorry. To be honest, I don't really want to leave."

"It's okay, Adrien. You better go, you don't want to keep her waiting." The pair looked away from each other as they recalled the last time Adrien had almost stood up the weather girl.

"Right. Okay, guess we'll have to do this again another time."

"Sure." Marinette deflated the moment the blonde was out of sight.

* * *

Mireille's smile was bright as she reached for Adrien's hand. "That movie was excellent. I knew the reviews were overly harsh."

The corner of Adrien's mouth lifted in a weak attempt to smile. "Yeah, it was interesting." He wasn't about to admit that his mind had continually drifted elsewhere during the film. Each time there'd been a hint of romance he thought of his partner and his fingers had dug into his jeans against his thighs. Oddly enough, Marinette had managed to sneak into his musings too.

As Mireille's fingers threaded through his, there was a screech. "Adrikins!" He didn't need to turn to know who it was. As usual the blonde threw herself at him, but this time the impact of her body broke his contact with Mireille's hand. "It's so good to see you," she smirked as she placed herself between him and his date. "Why don't you come over to my place? I'll get the chef to make your favourite snacks."

"Chloe, I'm on a date."

"Oh, I doubt she'll mind." She said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"I do mind," Mireille snapped.

Chloe turned her back on Adrien to stare down the shorter girl. "Well then, you should get lost and leave your betters to socialise."

"You're not better than me, you piece of synthetic trash!"

"How dare you! You lowly piece of filth. Clearly the wrong girl won the competition to be weather girl!"

"Ladies!" Adrien shot his hands between them. "Let's take a step back and calm down."

Both of them turned on the model. "Didn't you hear what she called me?" They both cried.

"I did, but there's no reason why we can't all get along."

"Adrien, just come home with me." Chloe said fluttering her eyelashes.

"No," Mireille shouted as she grabbed his arm. "Come home with me."

"Is there somewhere we can all go together?" He offered.

"I'm not going anywhere with her," Chloe spat.

"Ugh, like I'd want to spend time with that witch."

Adrien ran a hand through his hair, wishing he'd stayed with Marinette. "Look, since this doesn't seem to have any easy resolution I'm going to go home."

"No!" they both pleaded.

"I'm sorry ladies, but I don't want to cause problems between you. Mireille, do you need a ride home?"

The weather girl glared at Chloe. "No, Adrien you go. I'll walk home."

Chloe sneered, "I need a ride, Adrien."

"No, you don't. You live just over there. Look I'm leaving now. I'll see you both at school tomorrow." The model backed away from the girls, eyeing them to make sure they parted ways. When he exited the cinema, he was greatly relieved to see his bodyguard waiting patiently.

The moment he was gone Chloe resumed her attack. "You know, it'll never last between you and Adrien. Not when he could have someone like me."

"You're wrong, Adrien would never want someone as shallow as you!"

"We've been friends since we were toddlers. Our bond is so much stronger than you could ever imagine."

"If that's so, then why isn't he dating you?"

"Because he's been misled by the likes of you! Anyone who looks at him can see he's miserable. He's just dating you out of pity." Mireille's bottom lip began to quiver. Sensing victory, Chloe continued on. "I bet he'll contact you soon to break things off. Plus, I doubt he's even kissed you."

Tears began to fill Mireille's eyes. "You're a monster. I just hope he wakes and up sees it."

"Adrien only sees the best side of me. You're nothing but dirt beneath my heels."

Repulsed, Mireille backed away. Chloe's cruel laughter echoed in her ears as her tears dropped to the pavement.

* * *

Ladybug lay on her stomach, watching the world below from her rooftop vantage. The evening breeze was warm but not overly so. She gazed at the people milling about, doing whatever it was they needed to do. Rolling to her back, Ladybug looked to the stars growing brighter as the clouds cleared. Lifting a finger, she traced the few constellations she recognised until she heard a thump nearby.

Cat Noir froze and his eyes widened as he spotted her sprawled on her side. "Ladybug, I wasn't expecting to see you."

"Come and join me," she said as she patted a spot beside her, doing her best to appear confident.

The steady creak of leather sounded as he complied. Tucking his arms behind his head, Cat Noir eyed her sideways. "What brings you out tonight?"

"I was trying to clear my head."

The breeze ruffled his hair as he scrutinised her. "What's worrying you?"

Her gaze settled on his face, specifically at a strand of hair that had fallen over his eye. Stretching out she pushed it aside and watched his pupils dilate. Usually it was Cat Noir who initiated contact, be it a hand on her shoulder or arm. Though he'd been rather standoffish during the last few weeks. Thinking about it she realised he'd restrained himself to only bumping her fist. "I'm worried about you," she admitted.

Looking away, her partner studied the sky. "I'll be okay," he whispered as if trying to convince himself.

Ladybug placed a hand on his arm and his head snapped around. "What can I do?"

The emotional wall he'd been keeping in place crumbed and she saw the raw pain in his masked eyes. "Tell me you remember some of what happened when you were under Dream Snatcher's control."

"I don't remember a lot, but I do remember feelings."

Rolling to his side, Cat Noir's eyes searched hers. "What did you experience?"

A faint blush tinted the skin below her mask. "Love, for you."

"Do you think you could ever feel that way, for real?"

Ladybug's heart pounded at his vulnerability. His gaze held hers but it was close to wavering, he was getting ready to be let down. To be honest, she didn't really understand her torrent of feelings herself, nor how to explain them. "I don't kn-"

A gloved finger pressed to her lips. "Wait, I shouldn't have asked. I'm pretty sure I know what your answer is going to be, and it's not the one I want to hear." He shuffled closer. "I understand that you want things to stay platonic between us, but would you… hold me?"

With his finger easing from her mouth she nodded, sat up and held out her arms. Cat Noir's head dipped to her shoulder as they embraced on the flat rooftop. Ladybug could feel him trembling, and she gently stroked his hair. He curled into her, holding her tight, as if he never wanted to let go.

* * *

 **Hmm, could this be the calm before the storm? You betcha. Stay tuned, because chaos is about to follow. Thanks for reading, reviews, favourites and follows. Until next time... :)**


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter Seven_

The echo of memories taunted Ladybug as she held Cat Noir. There was something familiar in being this close to him. She lifted her face from his shoulder and felt the brush of his cheek against hers as she gazed at the night sky. "What happened between us? What did I do to hurt you so badly?"

"Dream Snatcher said she'd grant my most desired dream, and she did. Then we defeated her and that dream was taken away. I know it was an illusion, but to have you love me even for a little while was pure bliss. Now I feel like I'm dying inside."

"I broke your heart." She said, leaning back to look at him. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault. You've gone back to normal and I'm having trouble dealing with that."

Ladybug scrutinised her partner, beginning to realise just how much he was suffering. There was a gauntness to his cheeks and a sallowness to his eyes. It was obvious he was fretting for her love. "So much pain," she said as she traced her fingers down the side of his face. Her mind drifted to thoughts of Adrien. Of how much it hurt to learn that he wasn't going to be with her. The same torment was reflected in Cat Noir's eyes. She understood what he was feeling all too well and his distress ate at her, because she knew she had inadvertently caused it.

With both hands she cupped his face, seeing him with eyes that were no longer filtered by her affection for Adrien. For too long she had dismissed just how attractive her partner was, feeling some need for professionalism between them that he'd never seen as necessary. Cat Noir had never hidden his emotions until now.

Knowing that her crush wasn't an option anymore freed her way of thinking. Adrien would always be special to her but he didn't look at her the way her partner did. Here before her stood a boy who had subtly offered her his heart, over and over again, only to be rejected. A surge of the love she had experienced during the akuma resurfaced as she gazed at him, but this time it was natural. Her thumb strayed to his bottom lip, caressing it gently. "I want you to be happy, to see you smile."

"I want that too," he said as his arms tightened around her.

Ladybug felt an odd tingling on her own lips. Unconsciously she touched them, it was like her body was trying to remind her of something her mind had forgotten. "Did I kiss you?"

Cat Noir's head shot back and feline eyes dipped away from hers. "You did." He inhaled sharply, "More than once."

With the tip of her gloved index finger, she caught Cat Noir's chin and turned him back to face her. "I don't remember, but somehow I sensed it."

A faint glimmer of hope shone in her partner's eyes. "I'll never forget it."

The intensity of his gaze had her heart racing. This time Ladybug looked away, unsure what to make of her mixed feelings. Apprehension practically radiated from Cat Noir. She didn't want to lead him on, yet she couldn't exactly ignore the connection between them. His arms were still loosely around her, as if he loathed to part. She laid her hands on his shoulders and looked deep into his eyes. Despite the sadness, love overshadowed the darker emotions in his gaze. Without realising, they unconsciously leaned towards each other.

"Cat, I wasn't necessarily going to say what you thought I was going to say."

The black mask shifted with the lift of his eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"When you asked me if I could love you, for real."

He pressed a finger briefly to her lips. "Don't. Please don't say it if you don't mean it."

"The flirting, it was your way of showing me how you feel?" Cat Noir gave a single nod as she continued to hold his face. "I didn't realise you were serious, not for a long time. I'm sorry, Cat." His head dropped as if preparing to recoil. "I've been stupid to ignore what's been in front of me for so long."

With his jaw cradled in her hands, Ladybug gently brought her partner closer, settling so their chests were in contact to the point she could feel the rapid increase of his heartbeat. The warmth of his breath tickled her face. Leaning her forehead to his, she watched as his eyelids fluttered, his gaze darting between her lips and blue eyes. She understood what he was silently requesting and rewarded him with a long-awaited kiss. A deep sigh escaped Cat Noir as he dropped one hand to her hip, moulding their bodies together. Ladybug lost herself to the moment, forgetting Adrien, as her partner kissed her back with a slow building ferocity that swept her away. This was how she imagined kissing should feel: intense, sensual and as natural as breathing.

Her fingers splayed as they slid into his hair, her thumbs smoothing the edges of his mask. Cat Noir's fingers tightened and she winced as his claws threatened to prick through her suit. Catching his hands with hers, she eased his grip and whispered. "Gentle."

Strong fingers interlaced with hers as he continued to kiss her with everything he had. Any lingering doubts Ladybug felt, in regards to frankness of his feelings, were quickly swept away. It was almost like his searing kiss was imprinting his love and passion on her very soul. The need for air eventually parted them. Breathing heavily, Cat Noir placed a hand at her nape. "Milady, this means everything to me but there's something I need to do."

"Right now?"

"Yes. Right now. I'm sorry, I can't really explain but trust me, this has to be done."

Ladybug studied him with a perplexed expression. "Okay, if you must."

"Meet me back here in an hour. It shouldn't take any longer than that." Cat Noir placed a lingering kiss on her parted lips and dashed off before she could question him further.

* * *

Mireille sat on her bed staring at her phone as she inwardly debated whether to call Adrien. Normally he would have at least text to check she'd gotten home okay, but so far there'd been nothing. Chloe's harsh words continued to bounce inside her head, casting the shadow of doubt onto her relationship with the model. So far Adrien had been nothing but the courteous gentleman. He opened doors for her, held out her seat and kissed her hand in a chivalrous fashion. But Chloe was right, he'd never gone in for a goodnight kiss on the lips.

While his eyes were always kind, Mireille suspected there was more going on below the surface. She recalled their first date and the smitten look on his face, an expression she realised wasn't for her. It made her wonder if there was someone else that he really wanted, but couldn't have. Given the repulsed look on his face when she'd hugged him, it certainly wasn't Chloe. The thought gave her little comfort, she was certain Adrien's heart belonged to someone else, what would happen if they finally loved him back?

Her train of thought was broken by a sharp rap at her door. Much to her surprise, there stood Adrien with his hands in his pockets and an unreadable expression on his face. "Mireille, can I come in? We need to talk."

* * *

 **Sorry for the delay on this chapter, I've been away on holidays. Thanks for your patience and support :)**

 **Hmm, you can probably imagine what's coming next. Stay tuned!**


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter Eight_

Why was life always so complicated? Adrien stood at Mireille's door filled with both elation and dread. He was ecstatic because things were finally progressing with Ladybug but at the same time he felt awful about what he needed to do as he gazed into Mireille's eyes. He wasn't sure how she was going to take the news but he needed to end things with her before he got involved with his lady. While he had two personas, and each girl was interested in the opposite, it wasn't fair to string along one when he was deeply in love with the other.

Still, he wanted to let Mireille down gently. She'd been nothing but kind to him and she deserved the same curtesy. By the look on her face she realised his visit wasn't to share good news. She stepped back, pulling the door open and allowing him inside. "Sure, come in."

Adrien wasn't familiar with the inside of her home, as he'd only ever picked her up from her door for dates and she'd occasionally visited him at his place. She led him into the living room and he took a seat beside her on the sofa. "Firstly, I'd like to apologise for earlier. What Chloe said was inexcusable and I should have done more. I'd hoped you would have left with me, as I've often found it's just easier to walk away from her than trying to take her head on. But in this instance, I really should have stepped up and I didn't. I'm really sorry you had to go through that."

Mireille's hands were curled on top of her knees and she gave a curt nod. "I appreciate the apology, Adrien, but Chloe raised a couple of points that have been sitting uncomfortably with me for a while."

Adrien gave her a concerned look. "You're none of the things she accused you of being."

"That's not what I'm talking about. After you left she said more." The muscles in Mireille's jaw tensed and her gaze locked with his. "Adrien, why haven't you tried to kiss me?"

The blonde's eyes widened. "I, uh. Well, that is…" He let out a heavy sigh. "It just didn't feel right."

"We've been dating for a while now and you haven't shown me anything but friendship." She shuffled on the sofa to face him more directly. "Why is that?"

Adrien rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. "I wanted to take things slowly."

"I think glaciers move faster than you." He reared back as she placed a hand on his knee. "Geez, look at your reaction from me just touching you. You really aren't interested, are you?"

He closed his eyes briefly, knowing this was the opening he was looking for, even if he dreaded it. "I'm sorry, Mireille. To be honest there's been someone else on my mind for a while. I didn't think she was interested in me so I'd pushed aside the idea of anything happening. She made it pretty clear in the past that she was only interested in friendship. Then she was caught up in an akuma attack and it changed our relationship. For a little while she reciprocated my feelings. But it didn't last. I assumed that nothing would ever change between us." His hand tentatively reached for hers. "When I met you, I found someone who was interested in me and I thought there was a chance for me to move on."

Her gaze turned hard. "So, you were dating me as a distraction."

Adrien swallowed. "I don't know how best to explain this but I've been rejected on numerous occasions by the girl I've been crushing on for a long while now. I got to the point that I just couldn't take it anymore. When you showed an interest in me it felt really good, like I was actually decent boyfriend material. Plus, I wanted to get to know you."

"What's with the past tense?" she asked with narrowing eyes.

"I've realised what I was doing wasn't fair on either of us. I think it's best if we break things off between us. Don't get me wrong, I still like you and I'd like to stay friends, but I don't think anything more between us would work."

Mireille eyed him sceptically. "Something happened with this other girl, didn't it?" His face burned with embarrassment and she had her answer. "I knew it. I bet you kissed her, didn't you?"

The boy couldn't look at her. He felt awful and suspected that admitting the truth would only make matters worse. "Mireille, I-"

Suddenly she grabbed a fist full of his shirt front and pulled him close. "You just admitted she rejected you constantly. Don't you realise you deserve someone better than that? Someone who actually wants you?" Before he could response Mireille's mouth was covering his as she kissed him with a force that shocked him. He sat stunned with lips firmly closed as she tried to coax him into responding.

Adrien placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back. "Mireille, I'm sorry but I'm not in love with you."

The shoulders beneath his hands began to tremble. "From what you said it doesn't sound like your crush loves you either."

Wincing, he dropped his hands to his lap. "Maybe not, but I can't help but hope. Something changed for her to see me differently and I'll regret it if I never take the chance to explore the possibility."

Mireille's lips tightened in an angry line. "Fine. Do what you have to do, but don't expect me to be waiting for you when it eventually crumbles."

"I'm sorry, Mireille. I really am. I'm sure you'll find someone out there that has you as tied up in knots as I am."

The weathergirl gave him a long look. "I already did."

Adrien let out a tense breath and rose to his feet. "You deserve better than me, Mireille." Without further encouragement, he made his way toward the exit with the girl trailing behind him. He stopped at her front door and turned, placing a hand on her arm. "I'll always be your friend, Mireille. Please take care." Then he pulled her in for a brief hug before closing the door behind him. Part of him felt rotten for breaking things up between them but another part felt great relief that it was over.

* * *

Mireille had given him a lot to think about. Was she right about Ladybug, would she continue to cause him heartache? Had he reacted too quickly to the possibility of them finally becoming a couple? These thoughts continued to plague him as he transformed into Cat Noir and leapt into the night.

Ladybug was exactly where he'd left her. Again, she lay on the rooftop, this time with her arms tucked behind her head. It was only as he drew near that he realised she was asleep. A smile tugged at his lips as he slowly dropped down beside her. Cautiously he stretched out, lying by her side, near enough to feel the heat of her body. He couldn't help looking at her. Rarely was he able to study her in such proximity, nor without distraction. She truly was beautiful, and all he wanted to do was wrap her up in his arms.

Everything Mireille said seemed to fade away as he gazed at his lady. His own intuition spoke to him, assuring him that he'd made the right decision and that Ladybug really did care as deeply for him as he did her. The need to touch her became undeniable.

Human touch was lacking in Cat Noir's life, both in and out of the suit. It was one of the reasons he was compelled to reach out to his partner so much, heck he touched everyone he conversed with. He craved touch because he needed to feel connected with other people. Being isolated in the family mansion for most of his life had deprived him of that base need. As if sensing his craving, Ladybug rolling to her side and snuggled against him.

In that moment Cat Noir melted, with his arms wrapped around the girl he loved, a sense of serenity settled over him. This is what he wanted more than anything in the world, to be close to the person who meant the most to him. While Ladybug didn't know it, he considered her more like family than his own father. Given the opportunity, he'd marry her and make it official as soon as they were old enough. He smiled at his own musings, he really needed to know her real name before he got carried away with such ideas.

Trailing his nose along her neck, he lifted his lips to place a kiss below her ear. The desire to nibble his way along her jaw to her mouth was almost irresistible but somehow, he managed to stop himself. "Ladybug," he murmured hoarsely against her ear. She didn't stir, he shifted so his face was directly over hers. "Milady," he coaxed.

Her eyelids fluttered open and widened in surprise. "Cat, um…"

"You dozed off," he smiled.

"Geez you must have been gone for a while."

He chuckled at that. "Not really."

"Did you get done whatever it was that needed doing?"

"Yeah it's done."

"So, can you tell me what you were up to?"

"Hmm, I could but I don't know if I should."

"Now I'm intrigued. You can't leave me hanging."

A black masked eyebrow lifted in amusement. "You've often had me dangling from your yoyo string."

"That's different."

"Is it now?"

"Cat Noir, stop evading the question."

He chuckled as he kissed the tip of her nose. "The truth is…" he started as his eyes descended to her lips. "…I really want to kiss you."

Ladybug gave him playful shove. "Maybe I'll kiss you after you answer the question."

"Didn't I just answer the question?" Cat Noir caught the edge of her jaw, tilting her face towards his as his other arm pulled her close. Her lips parted to respond but he was done with talking. Right now, he wanted to show Ladybug just how much he yearned for her.

* * *

 **Well they say when one door closes, another one opens. But what if you're not quite ready to let that first door close? Will Mireille move on, or will things get messy? Stay tuned. Thanks for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following :)**


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter Nine_

The late morning sun was peeking through Mireille's curtains when she heard someone knocking at her door. Lolling her head to the side on her pillow, she groaned then threw back the covers on her bed. She slunk her way to the front door, pausing at the hallway mirror to quickly finger comb her dark hair into some semblance of tidy and snagged her father's coat from the rack in attempt to hide her pyjamas.

With both parents at work again, she stood on her tiptoes and peered through the spyhole. A relieved sigh escaped her when she saw it was just Theo. "Hey," she said to him as she opened the door.

"Morning," he smiled. "Did you forget we were getting together for coffee?"

The girl's shoulders sagged. "Yeah, sorry. Adrien broke up with me last night."

Theo stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "What? But I thought things were going well between you two."

Mireille shrugged. "Turns out he's into someone else." She led her friend to the kitchen and put the kettle on and proceeded to tell Theo all about their last date and then the following visit from the model.

"What a jerk! I can't believe he strung you along and let that brat Chloe say such awful things to you. Did he say who this other girl is?"

"No, he didn't. I don't even have an inkling who it could be. He's never really shown an interest in any of the girls at school. I can only assume it's someone from modelling or the like."

Theo was glaring into his steaming mug. "It's not right, Mireille. He used you. This other girl should know the truth about him."

Taking a sip of her tea, Mireille looked at her friend with weary eyes. "As much as it hurts, I'd rather stay away from him." When she looked up at Theo she noticed the turbulence in his eyes and got the feeling that he wasn't about to let things slide.

* * *

Dark emotions coursed through Theo's veins as he left Mireille's home. Anger at both himself and Adrien continued to boil his blood as he inwardly snapped at himself for setting up Mireille with Adrien in the first place. A well-intended birthday treat had turned sour. On first impression Adrien Agreste had seemed a genuinely nice guy. Oh, but he'd been so wrong.

The model had already been infatuated with someone else. Someone who had continued to reject him. Someone who had the potential to hurt Adrien as badly as he'd hurt Mireille. Yet Mireille had no clue who she was. The need to find out the identity of the girl that had besotted Adrien so badly was strong. The problem was, how could he possibly dig up that info?

Theo was so lost in his stewing thoughts that he was oblivious to the purple butterfly sailing gently on the breeze. He unconsciously toyed with the braided leather band around his wrist and it was only when the creature landed on the leather band that he was aware of what was about to take place. For the second time he heard the sinister voice of Hawkmoth.

"It's been a while Copycat. Once again, I can grant you the skills to get you what you crave. I'm certain you know what I want in return."

"Yes, Hawkmoth. I know and I won't fail you this time." The dark magic bubbled over Theo and in his place stood an exact replica of Cat Noir. Copycat sneered to himself. "It's time for this cat to hunt down some answers."

* * *

The black sinewy figure of Copycat lurked on the adjacent rooftops of the Agreste mansion. With tail snapping back and forth, the uncanny doppelganger was growing impatient as he tried to work out which window belonged to Adrien. Slinking down on all fours, Copycat's interest was piqued when he spotted a large expanse of tall rectangular windows, one of which was open.

Drawing nearer, Copycat found a vantage point that allowed him to see inside. A sneer pulled at his lips as he spotted the blonde boy reclining in front of his computer desk, gazing intently at the image on the screen. Fortunately for Copycat, there was a huge monitor above Adrien's head which duplicated the smaller screen the model was perusing: the Ladyblog. More importantly it allowed Copycat to identify who that lovesick daze was fixated on, the masked face of Ladybug.

Thinking back to his conversation with Mireille, Adrien had confirmed that he'd kissed the girl he'd been pining for. Given his current expression, the most likely candidate for the model to have smooched was Ladybug. Copycat chuckled darkly to himself. Last time he'd been akumatised he'd been head over heels for the heroine himself. But more importantly he'd worked out that Cat Noir was in a relationship with Ladybug, which meant he'd be pissed off when he learnt that Adrien was moving in on his lady.

The most brilliant thing of all, was that Copycat's outer appearance was the faux version of Ladybug's partner. It couldn't be more perfect. All he had to do was find Ladybug and kiss her senseless while being filmed. Agreste would be devastated.

With a plan beginning to form, Copycat flicked open his baton to surf the internet. Since he wasn't truly Cat Noir, there was no way he could contact Ladybug directly. Instead he needed to work out the best way to get Ladybug's attention without alerting her to the fact that he was not her actual partner. A grin spread across his face as he searched for the owner of the Ladyblog. Alya Cesaire was about to get an unexpected scoop.

* * *

After locating Alya's home, Copycat needed to provide a reason for Cat Noir's sudden appearance in the vicinity. He couldn't claim it was an akuma attack for obvious reasons, however he could set up something else. Dropping into a side street, the sinister black cat hid himself out of direct sight and waited for the perfect opportunity. Pulling the baton from his back, Copycat held it horizontally in his hand, he lowered himself to his haunches as his cat ears pricked up waiting for a certain engine note.

The buzz of a motorbike had Copycat smirking, his cat ears tracked the noise as he placed his baton on the ground, extending it onto the road at the exact moment the bike came along. A precise strike jarred the rear wheel, causing the bike to fishtail wildly on the road as the rider tried to regain control.

Having no time to waste, Copycat launched himself up to the roof with the pretence of having actually come from that direction. Cars veered around the out of control bike, smashing into parked vehicles. " _Purr_ fect," he sneered as he swung down to supposedly rescue the rider.

* * *

Marinette's fingers slid under her thighs as she desperately tried to hide her tells in order to maintain her latest secret. Visiting Alya the day after making out with Cat Noir had been a serious error in judgement. The budding journalist had immediately picked up on her blissful expression and had been peppering her with questions ever since. "I'm telling you, nothing is up. I'm fine."

"Mm hm." Her best friend adjusted her glasses as if preparing for a more thorough interrogation. "You can say that all you like, girl, but your face is telling a different story. You've got that faraway look on your face like when you're daydreaming about Adrien. Come on, fess up."

The delight slipped from her face. "I'm not thinking about Adrien."

"Wow, so that must mean you've found someone new. Okay spill, who is it?"

"Um." Her heart thundered, she couldn't exactly say that she'd been kissing Cat Noir. Technically it had been Ladybug making out with Cat Noir. But still, she was Ladybug and she couldn't tell her best friend about any of it.

"Is it Luka?" Alya grinned as she clamped her hands together with excitement.

"No, it's not Luka." The screech of tyres and the crunch of metal sounded from outside. "I need to go to the bathroom." Marinette said as Alya dashed for her phone and out to the balcony.

In a matter of seconds Ladybug made it to the street, to her surprise Cat Noir was already there. A motorbike lay on its side, yet the rider was protectively held in her partner's arms. Her pulse skyrocketed as Cat Noir lowered the rider back to his feet, away from the crash site. Ladybug mentally shook herself, she needed to be all business right now. "Akuma?" she called as she strode towards him.

An unreadable look passed over his face as he scanned her from head to toe. As their eyes met he studied her with a slow burning intensity and there was something devilish in his gaze. He answered her with a shrug. "Not sure, I think it was just an accident."

Alya's loud voice sounded from her balcony. "Looks like you saved the day!"

A satisfied smile curved Cat Noir's lips as he acknowledged Alya. He sidled up to Ladybug and draped his arm across her shoulders, his fingers possessively enclosing on her upper arm. "Just a regular day for a pair of superheroes," he said with a wave.

Ladybug was surprised by his open display of closeness, not that his gesture was overly romantic, it could be construed as a sign of comradery. Although Cat Noir had always angled for a complete lack of space between them as often as possible. But it was different now, their relationship had changed and she wasn't sure how they were supposed to act in front of a camera. Her head turned as she gazed at her partner's profile, allowing herself to take in his handsome masked visage. Should she push him away like normal?

They hadn't discussed how they'd act in public after their rendezvous the previous night. To be honest the pair had been so caught up in each other that not a lot of talking had occurred at all. The temptation to wrap her arm around his waist was too much but before she could do so, Cat Noir tightened his hold and stepped around to face her. "I've missed you, gorgeous."

A dark blush crept along her cheeks as she bit her bottom lip. "You have?"

Needing no further encouragement, Cat Noir took her face between his hands and bent down to kiss her.

* * *

 **Hehehe, I bet you didn't see that coming. I considered re-akumatising Mireille but that was too predictable. So will the real Cat Noir turn up to stop his lady from smooching the wrong cat? Find out next chapter.**

 **Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting.**


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter Ten_

Adrien's hands slammed down on his computer desk as he rocketed out of his chair. His eyes were glued to the screen before him. For the last five minutes he'd been staring in shock at the duplicate Cat Noir on his screen, assessing the situation and preparing to transform. Now he was frozen in horror, the impostor had his hands on his lady and was moving in for a kiss. Ladybug's face was being cradled supposedly by Cat Noir while being streamed live. "It's not me!" he shouted at the screen as he dug his fingers into his hair and pulled with agitation.

"Transform and ring her," Plagg snapped.

Wide eyes, wild with panic, turned to the black kwami. "What's ringing going to do?"

"Interrupt what's about to happen."

"Plagg, claws out!" he yelled in desperation. The second he was transformed he snagged his baton and called his partner. "Pick up, pick up, pick up…" he chanted as he watched the screen. Ladybug had closed her eyes and the fake Cat Noir was closing in. "No, no, no!"

Her masked eyelids snapped open and her head tilted down. By this stage the real Cat Noir was bouncing on the spot. "Answer!" Her hand dropped to her hip but the fake Cat Noir slid his hands further up her jaw, lifting her head. He said something to her and dove in for the kiss. "NOOOOOOOO!"

Alya's ecstatic commentary was completely lost on Cat Noir as he watched his copycat kiss his lady. His eyes bulged as the penny dropped. "Copycat," he spat angrily. The name had barely left his lips when he realised Copycat's true intent. A smug look was plaster on the doppelganger's face as he plucked Ladybug's earrings from her lobes. For a second her majestic blue eyes opened, her hands lunged forward but the bright pink sparkle of magic threatened to expose her true identity.

Cat Noir was transfixed, was the world about to discover Ladybug's true identity? Her arms protectively covered her face and she dropped down, swinging her leg out to kick Copycat's feet from under him. Needing no further prompting, Cat Noir rushed out his window with desperate speed, earrings or not he was going to protect his partner.

* * *

Marinette couldn't believe it. Cat Noir had taken her miraculous. But something didn't add up. Her yoyo had buzzed just before the kiss and he'd been adamant that she ignore it. He'd known someone was trying to interrupt them. Dropping him to the ground had done little in getting back her earrings. Not that it was going to be easy given she was no longer transformed and she had to keep her face hidden.

Cat Noir was back on his feet in no time, her miraculous pocketed and zipped away on his right side. It was then that she noticed a faint discolouration of his left glove gauntlet, the piping on the cuff wasn't quite black, it was a very dark purple. "Akuma," she hissed.

"Just figured it out, did you?" he smirked. "You may recall me from our previous meeting, the name's Copycat."

Suddenly another figure in black dropped in front of her, facing Copycat in a defensive stance. "Give her back her miraculous!" Cat Noir demanded.

Copycat pursed his lips and shook his head. "Not a chance. How about you give me your miraculous and I'll have a complete pair."

"Never," Cat Noir snarled as he extended his baton into a staff and swung it at his enemy.

Now that Copycat was distracted, Marinette needed to find something to conceal her face. There was no way she was leaving her partner on his own when she could offer any sort of aid. In the ensuing chaos the rider of the motorbike had left his helmet on the bonnet of a nearby car. Keeping her face covered, Marinette raced across the road and retrieved it.

Ducking into a side street and out of the view of her best friend's camera, Marinette took a moment to observe the helmet and let out a relieved sigh when she noticed that the visor was mirror tinted. Slipping it on, she searched for some sort of weapon or object that could be useful in the fight against Copycat.

Having her earrings removed meant that she no longer had Tikki for advice. Even so, she knew that she could do something to assist Cat Noir. A stray hubcap was leaning against the opposite curb and Marinette grinned. Sneaking back across the road, the girl picked it up and studied the identical pair fighting each other. "Left wrist," she reminded herself as she watched their flurried movements and did her best to identify Copycat.

It was only when Cat Noir rolled back for a brief reprieve that Marinette spotted the akumatised object. She flung the hubcap like a Frisbee at Copycat's face and dashed in and around her partner to tear the cuff from his glove. The tainted butterfly was immediately released and Copycat's appearance returned to that of Theo's.

Cat Noir was by her side in a moment and snatched up her earrings that fell from the dispelled magic. A gentle hand rested on her shoulder and she lifted her helmeted head to look at him. "I believe these belong to you, milady."

Marinette held out her bare hand and watched as Cat Noir dropped her miraculous onto her palm. "It's going to be a little hard to put them on while I'm wearing a helmet."

"Then allow me to whisk you away to a more private place so that problem can be rectified." He threw her a charming smile as he extended his gloved hand.

"But the akuma, it needs purifying."

The pair turned to see the tainted butterfly fluttering up and out of reach. She turned to look at Theo, wondering what had caused his relapse into Copycat. "Are you okay, Theo?"

The young man nodded as he scratched his head. "Yeah, I am. I don't really remember what happened but I'm not angry anymore."

"That's good." Cat Noir replied as he linked his arm around Marinette's waist. "But we need to leave."

Marinette twined her arms around Cat Noir's neck and held on tight as he launched them into the sky. They hadn't gotten very far when he shook his head at her in disapproval. "It hasn't even been 24 hours and you kissed another guy."

"I thought it was you." He eyed her sideways and she continued. "A handsome blonde with amazing green eyes is very hard to resist."

Cat Noir cocked his head, tossing his wild locks in a preening fashion. "Well, I suppose when you put it that way, and only because he was pretty much identical, I think I can forgive you… on one condition."

"I'm not giving you my miraculous." She deadpanned.

"That wasn't it. I expect you to kiss me like your life depends upon it when you've got your mask back on."

Concealed behind the mirrored visor, Marinette considered what he was saying. It made her wonder, was it time that they shared their identities? It seemed only right when their relationship was deepening. "What if I want to kiss you without the mask?"

Cat Noir's pace slowed and he faced her. "You're willing to do that?"

"Yes, if you hadn't come to help me there's a chance that everyone would have discovered my identity. But it's not just that. If we're going to be a real couple we shouldn't have any secrets."

The corner of Cat Noir's lip lifted and his eyes shone with warmth as he glanced at her. "Well then, I guess it's settled." The next swing he leaned his staff and turned to look at her directly. "Last stop, chateau le chat noir."

"No wait, the akuma needs to be purified first."

"Oh right."

Marinette giggled as Cat Noir found a pair of wide chimney's close together. "Here looks like a good place. I'll standing with my back to you."

A thrill shot through her as she stood facing Cat Noir's back, lifting the helmet from her head. All he had to do was turn around and he'd know who she really was. Recalling that now was not the time to daydream, she replaced her earrings in her lobes and smiled as Tikki appeared. Her kwami looked briefly at Cat Noir and remained silent. "Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

 **With an impending reveal agreed upon, what could possibly go wrong? Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting :)**


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter Eleven_

Ladybug had a dilemma, because her earrings had been stolen she hadn't called upon her lucky charm during the akuma fight, so how was she supposed to put everything right? She looked at the back of Cat Noir's head as he remained turned away, his arms braced against the two chimneys to prevent himself from spinning around. "All good?" he asked still facing away.

"No, I don't know what to do about my lucky charm."

"Call it up now, we still need to catch the actual akuma and it might help us." His head shifted towards her. "Can I turn around now?"

"Oh yeah, sorry." She plucked her yoyo from her hip and looked at him with uncertainty. "I'm not sure how this will work but I'll give it a shot. Lucky charm!"

The pair burst into laughter as a large butterfly net dropped into her hands. Cat Noir smirked, "I'm pretty sure even I know what we need to do with that."

Lifting her head, Ladybug grinned as she scanned and spotted the tainted butterfly. "It's over there, let's get it!" Leaping toward their prey, the duo easily caught up to the slow fluttering creature. With a swipe of the oversized net, Ladybug captured the akuma and quickly purified it. Then she tossed the net into the air calling, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

Magical ladybugs swarmed and did their thing as the heroes watched on. Cat Noir rested his elbow on her shoulder, wanting to touch her as usual. "Now then, before you suited back up you were suggesting it was okay for us to go back to my place and get properly acquainted."

Ladybug rolled her eyes at her partner. "You really don't do subtle, do you."

"That's a rhetorical question, right?"

"Yes, Cat Noir, it is."

A warning chip sounded from Ladybug's earrings as Cat Noir extended his hand. "Well then, milady. It seems it's time for us to depart."

Shaking her head while grinning, Ladybug laid her hand within Cat's. "Lead on, kitty."

"Oh no, I'm sweeping my lady off her feet," Cat Noir said as dipped down to scoop her up. "I won't be carrying you over the threshold but I will carry you through my window."

"We're not getting married, Cat Noir."

"Not at this stage but I'm a patient guy." He winked and she giggled as he raced them towards his home.

* * *

While Ladybug's pulse had rocketed at Cat Noir's cheeky admission, she'd be lying to herself if she didn't concede to envisioning her own wedding to Adrien in the past. Heck she'd even done a couple of rough sketches of the gown she'd wear. Not that it would ever happen now. She looped her arms around her partner's shoulders and pressed a peck on his cheek, just below his mask. Green eyes strayed to hers and he swiftly returned the gesture before focussing on where they were going.

The situation seemed surreal. To think her heart had finally set on Cat Noir. Her cheeky, silly kitty. Her gaze raked over his masked visage, drinking in how truly handsome he was. Why had she never taken in his appeal before? He really was beautiful and she'd been pushing him away for so long. Luckily, he wasn't so blind. She would be eternally thankful that pesky determination of his when it came to winning her over.

Ladybug was so caught up in admiring her partner that she didn't immediately notice where they were heading. Cat Noir gave a final grunt as he sprung across the distance to land at the base of a huge window. An awfully familiar window. Her earrings chirped again as he dropped into the room.

Cat Noir released her legs and amusement danced in his eyes as he purposefully slid her down the length of his body until her feet touched the floor. Her own gaze was darting between him and the bedroom in which they stood. Her pulse pounding so hard she was amazed he couldn't hear it.

It couldn't possibly be, could it? Cat Noir continued smiling at her. "Welcome to my not so humble abode."

Good lord, it meant the impossible was true. It took everything she had not to start hyperventilating. "I've been here before," she squeaked.

The warmth in her partner's eyes intensified as his arms encircled her waist. "Yes, you have. More than once."

"Adrien?" she breathed as her heart dropped into her stomach. Her eyes scrutinising his face as she mentally slapped herself for dismissing Alya's previous claims that Adrien could in fact be the black clad hero.

Cat Noir's smile turned modest as he dipped his head, his cheek brushing hers as he whispered in her ear. "Yes, I'm Adrien and I love hearing my real name on your lips."

Cold reality washed over Marinette and she impulsively pushed him away. If Cat Noir was Adrien Agreste that meant, "You have a girlfriend."

Her partner raised his hands. "Did have a girlfriend, not anymore."

"What! Um, as far as I'm aware you're still a couple."

"No, I broke it off. You know that urgent thing I had to run off and do, that was what it was. To be honest Mireille was never anything more to me than a friend. I didn't even kiss her."

Ladybug frowned as her miraculous began chirping it's final warning. Her brow was creased as she continued to study him. "Why didn't you kiss her?"

Cat Noir edged closer to her. "Isn't it obvious? Because I love you. You were always the one for me."

The beeping ceased and the wash of pink magic skimmed over her to reveal Marinette still staring with bewilderment at Cat Noir. She watched as his face filled with astonishment as her costume dissolved.

"Marinette?" he gasped but made no move toward her. Like her, he seemed to be having trouble wrapping his brain around her reveal too.

"This is so messed up." She muttered as she ran a hand through her fringe. Having trouble believing that the boy she'd been trying to forget was the same one she'd made out with.

"Marinette," Cat Noir repeated as if testing the word on his lips, not hearing her utterance.

Tikki hovered at her side. "Just breathe," her kwami suggested.

"Are you going to drop your transformation?" Marinette asked more sharply than she intended.

The terse tone pulled Cat Noir from his stupor. "Uh, yeah. Plagg, claws in." As with his counterpart, Cat Noir's costume melted away in the green flash of magic to expose the model underneath. Adrien gave her a lopsided smile but his eyes held trepidation.

Plagg looked between the two teenagers and sighed. "Why make it complicated? You like her, she likes you. Kiss already and get it over with."

Adrien glared at his kwami. "Plagg!"

"What? It's that simple. Besides you know she likes you out of the mask as well. Remember the masses of photos in her room."

Tikki swatted Plagg up the back of the head. "Let them work it out you oaf."

"Hey, I'm only trying to help but if I'm not wanted I'm off to get some cheese. You coming sugar cube?"

"My name is Tikki, not sugar cube."

"Whatever."

The pair of miraculous holders watched as their kwamis darted off, leaving them alone. Adrien sank his hands into his jeans pockets and cleared his throat. Then his lips pursed and his eyebrows pulled together as he looked at Marinette. Suddenly he closed the distance in two strides, his mouth crashing into hers with an urgency that surprised her. His arms wrapped around her, pressing their bodies together as he ravished her lips. After a bone melting moment he pulled back to admire her. "Yep, you're definitely my lady," he said as he tenderly ran his thumb down her cheek. "I can't believe you were under my nose this whole time."

Before he could say anything more, Marinette grabbed his shirt collar with a ravenous look in her eyes. Discovering that Adrien wanted to kiss her as desperately in reality as in her dreams meant she had no patience for chitchat. Instead she claimed his mouth with her own and the kissing resumed.

Plagg hovered around the door, a wedge of cheese in his hand a smug look on his face as he eyed Tikki. "See I told you, simple."

* * *

 **The all wise Plagg has spoken. Couldn't resist. As usual thanks for reading, following, favouriting and reviewing.**


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter Twelve_

Adrien had always considered Plagg's advice a bit hit or miss. Now though, he was right on the money. But the kwami was not what occupied him currently. No, he was completely lost in the girl who kissed him with a fervour that threatened to buckle his knees. Time became irrelevant, all that mattered was this moment and it went on for a very long time.

The eventual need for air had them breaking apart, grinning at each other while panting to get their breath back. Adrien was preparing to dive back in when Marinette pressed a finger to his lips. "As much as I want to continue, we really need to talk."

"Do we have to? I thought we were communicating just fine without words."

A dark blush stained her cheeks and he couldn't resist caressing them with his thumbs. She swayed towards him then caught herself before their lips met. "Stop distracting me."

"You're the one who's determined to talk."

"Crazy, I know but we need to work this out." She said, pointing between the pair of them.

"What's to work out? We want each other, right?"

His sudden uncertainty towards her feelings was endearing. "Yes, I want you Adrien. But you were just in a relationship with Mireille. How's it going to look if you're suddenly with me? Plus, what do we do as Ladybug and Cat Noir?"

Adrien took a step back to consider. His eyes roved over her face. "I don't think it's going to be possible for me to stay away from you now. Can't you be my girlfriend both in and out of the suit?"

"Is that what you want?"

"I think the answer is obvious." And in case it wasn't he swept in and kissed her again.

* * *

Mireille adjusted her bag strap on her shoulder and tucked her hair behind her ear as she stepped into school. She was debating whether or not to hold her chin up and walk in like nothing was wrong or to look at the ground like she was trying to solve the problems of the world. The fact that Theo had been akumatised because of her was both embarrassing and flattering. It was nice to know her friend cared.

No sooner had she crossed the threshold into school grounds than she spotted a rather smug looking Chloe. Mireille did her best to keep her face neutral but the savage blonde was sashaying towards her with a predatory grin. But before the spoilt brat could start her tongue lashing, someone cleared their throat and blocked Chloe's advance.

Mireille looked up in surprise. A boy with dark skin and chocolate eyes was studying her with an intensity that was only disrupted by the nervous lift of his hand to adjust his classes. She was so stunned that she couldn't think of his name. "Hi." She said, wondering why he was approaching her. They didn't have any classes together.

"Hi," he replied with an awkward smile. Then he cleared his throat and seemed to dislodge the uneasiness he was projecting. "I'm Max. Given the circumstances that a certain girl has been broadcasting to the whole school, I thought I'd approach you and offer some moral support."

Long lashes blinked as Mireille's eyes widened. "Really? Um, thanks." She cocked her head to the side to see Chloe grinding her teeth as she walked away. "What exactly has she been saying?"

"Some nasty stuff about how justice has been served because Adrien dumped you or some such nonsense." Max informed her as the tension in his shoulders began to subside at their continued conversation. "I'm happy to stay with you for as long as you like. I know what it's like to be picked on by a bully."

A warm smile spread across her face and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks," she started but a sharp gasp cut off her train of thought. The noise had sounded behind Max, and Mireille pivoted her head to glance around him in search of the source.

Chloe stood bristling, her fists clenched tight at her sides as her face grew redder and steam threatened to spout from her ears. Mireille's brow furrowed in confusion, the brat wasn't looking at her, so what had gotten her so riled up? Following the line of Chloe's gaze, Mireille gasped as she discovered the reason behind the blonde's reaction.

Adrien was coming up the stairs, a bright smile on his face and adoration in his eyes as he walked hand-in-hand with Marinette. Her eyebrow arched at the sight, this was the girl who had been continually rejecting Adrien? That couldn't be right. More than once she'd witnessed to the lovesick glances Marinette threw the model's way whenever he wasn't looking.

Something softened inside Mireille. Marinette was as big a fangirl as she had been. If this was the girl who had Adrien tied in knots then maybe he'd read the situation wrong, he tended to be oblivious to his effect on the female population. When the pair reached the top of the stairs and turned to look at each other it was like the world stopped for them. There was such a magnetic pull between the two it was impossible to miss. Mireille felt a twinge of envy. It was the way she'd wanted Adrien to look at her while they were dating. Yet she couldn't begrudge real love.

Eventually, the new couple were able to drag their eyes from one another. It was then that Adrien's gaze fell on Mireille and his cheeks flushed. His expression turned sheepish as he lifted a hand to his neck and he rubbed at it anxiously. "Hi Mireille, um…"

She looked to her toes for a moment before a small smile spread across her lips. "Hi Adrien, so this is the girl? The one who had you smitten but constantly rejected you?"

Marinette's cheeks reddened and Adrien stepped protectively forward to shield her. Interesting. "This is Marinette and it turns out we simply misunderstood each other."

Mireille tucked her hands behind her back and rocked on her feet. "From what I recall she's been lusting after you from the shadows. Are you sure it wasn't you doing the rejecting?"

A muscle in Adrien's jaw twitched as he glanced questioningly over his shoulder, to the girl holding his hand. "You…" He looked back at Mireille. "Maybe I was a bit blind but there was no rejecting on my part."

The weather girl adjusted her stance and let out a sigh, it was time to be the bigger person. "You know what's important, right?"

Adrien studied her warily. "What?"

"That you make each other happy and that you take care of one another."

The model was stunned. It was clear that this was not the reaction he was expecting. Mireille didn't want a scene and it was obvious that the boy was besotted with the other girl. When it came down to it, her relationship with Adrien had never developed beyond friendship, as much as she wished it could have.

While it hurt to see him with someone else, she also felt a sense of relief. Gone was the tension of trying to make him like her more. She deserved someone who wanted her back. As she looked on, the pair turned to look at each other beaming. Adrien swallowed as he looked back at Mireille. "So, um, no hard feelings?"

Mireille shrugged, "Not for the long term, no. It's been real, Adrien."

He gave a nod of acknowledgement and the pair walked away. It was then that she felt warm fingers press on her shoulder. Turning in surprise, she realised that Max was still at her side.

"That was well-handed, Mireille." He said, ducking his head to look at his toes. "But then I've always thought you're amazing."

Mireille's blinked in surprise but her expression shifted into a smile. Perhaps the love she was looking for wasn't truly out of reach.

* * *

Later that week another akuma threatened the wellbeing of the people of Paris. The media were ready to capture the action on scene and much to their surprise, Ladybug and Cat Noir arrived to assess the situation while holding hands. Alya was beside herself. "You've seen it right here, people. Ladybug and Cat Noir are clearly hand-in-hand on the rooftop."

As she zoomed in, she could see the pair talking seriously and much to her glee, Cat Noir leant in and kissed Ladybug on the lips. A loud squeal sounded from the budding reporter with such a pitch that the superheroes glanced down at the Ladyblog founder. She waved and gave them a thumbs-up.

The pair chuckled then Cat Noir wrapped his arms around his partner, dipped her and planted a lusty kiss on his lady. Not to be outdone, Ladybug tipped the scales and dipped her chaton in return. After they broke apart both were grinning as they waved goodbye to their ecstatic friend and readied for battle.

When it was over Ladybug looked to her partner. "It's kind of weird that we don't need to go our separate ways. We can actually transform while together."

Cat Noir leant on his staff and grinned. "You do realise I've been waiting for this day forever."

"Are you saying this is your dream come true?" She teased.

Crossing the distance, Cat Noir bundled his partner into his arms. "That I am, milady, that I am."

 _The End_

* * *

 **It's been a long time coming, but finally we've reached the end! Funnily enough this was the first story I posted for Miraculous Ladybug but it wasn't the first I've finished. Thanks for sticking it out and for** **your support. I hope you enjoyed the journey! :)**


End file.
